Summer is a time when things slow down at my house. School is out and kids sleep late. It’s a time when I can catch up on my reading. I especially like reading magazines and newsletters. They are a great way to keep up on the fast pace of today’s world.

Newsletters are also an effective way to keep up to date with your customers.

Here are some tips to make your newsletters more effective:

1. Be newsy. A newsletter is not an ad. If you have an upcoming sale, it’s all right to mention it briefly at the end. Send ads separately from newsletters. Newsletters should be about 75 percent content and only 25 percent advertising.

2. Be real. Many newsletters state facts, but don’t connect the dots to explain what the facts mean. Your audience doesn’t want to be talked down to, but they might not be up on the latest jargon in your industry either. Tie any facts into relevant examples that apply to your customers.

3. Be interesting. Write your articles in a consolidated way so that you don’t ramble and lose your audience. A shot of humor is a nice touch, as well. Another tactic is to get a dialog going by offering an opinion and asking your customers for their views.

4. Be interested. Write about the questions your customers frequently ask you. Offer your customers a feedback link so they can tell you what they think. Also ask for their opinions about topics they would like to see in future issues.

5. Be helpful. Write topics that are helpful to your customers and their interests. Put in a tip or hint to make their lives easier.

6. Be brief. A newsletter should be short and take no longer than about 5 minutes to read. People are busy and they will look forward to your newsletters if they are concise.

7. Be relevant. Use an anecdote or highlight a customer’s experience (think customer success stories). People like to talk about themselves and will usually easily share their ideas. Also, when your customers see others in your newsletters, they may contact you to be included as well.

8. Be valuable. If you have a topic that can’t be covered in a short segment, link to a longer article on your website. Or link to other authors’ articles for more information on relevant topics. (Get permission from the authors first of course.)

9. Be professional. Only send newsletters to people who sign up for them. Don’t spam. Provide a way for your customers to opt out of your newsletters.

10. Be consistent. Send your newsletters regularly, but not too often. Bi-weekly or monthly are usually good newsletter intervals.

Borders Books doesn’t think so. Some writer friends of mine don’t think so. My 16-year old son, however, thinks it is a dying art. He thinks poetry is being replaced with blogging, twittering, and texting.

That’s why I was so delighted to find the Open Door Poetry feature at Borders Media. The link is: http://www.bordersmedia.com/odp/default.asp

The site states: “Borders Open-Door Poetry celebrates passion, individuality and the power of the written and spoken word. It’s authentic, thought-provoking, and bristling with the type of raw energy that comes from the act of self-expression.”

Poems take on a power when you listen to the poets themselves read their poetry. Their facial and body expressions, as well as the cadence and vibrations of their words add a new layer of meaning to the poem. You understand the poem as it is meant to be understood.

Sometimes when I am reading a poem and I discuss it with a friend we will have two very different takes on the piece. However, when attending a poetry reading with friends we usually come away with the same interpretation, although we may like or dislike various parts.

So rediscover some poetry. It can be energizing, uncomfortable, or soothing, depending on what poem you read. It definitely, however, is not boring.

I’ve always thought that my children were exceptionally bright, well-behaved Lake-Wobegone kind of kids! (In case you don’t know what this means see wikipedia’s article on Lake Wobegone at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Wobegon)

No really, my children do get good grades. I thought this was mainly because my kids had “smart” genes (not from my side, of course.) I realized that our home environment complemented this by providing an atmosphere that encouraged learning. However, I didn’t know how much surroundings really have to do with good grades.

David Woods, an Op-ed Columnist for the New York Times in a recent article states that modern research shows genes aren’t the deciding factor in a genius at all. What does make someone a genius, or a child prodigy, is a bit of talent (from genes) and a lot of practice. More practice than most of us care to do. Genius takes dedication.

This article goes on to discuss how Mozart, Tiger Woods, and Einstein all had the ability to focus for long periods of time as well as hours and hours of practice in their respective fields. Research shows that the key factor “separating geniuses from the merely accomplished is not a divine spark. It’s not I.Q., a generally bad predictor of success, even in realms like chess. Instead, it’s deliberate practice. Top performers spend more hours (many more hours) rigorously practicing their craft.”

So shutting off the T.V. and insisting on reading is a good idea for kids, as well as adults. To read the entire, fascinating article, see: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/01/opinion/01brooks.html?_r=2&em